More than 100 penalty notices have been issued in a crackdown against drivers endangering the lives of cyclists by illegally crossing one of Birmingham’s busiest junctions.
Officers stopped drivers spotted going through green lights meant for cyclists and buses at Belgrave Middleway near the city’s Central Mosque.
West Midlands Police said more than 100 tickets had been issued and an arrest had been made for another offence since the exercise was launched last month. The operation is set to continue over the next six months to see if there is a reduction in the number of drivers jumping the lights.
Sgt Danny Cooke, from the Sparkbrook neighbourhood policing team, said: “At our regular meetings for residents, traffic issues on Belgrave Middleway have been identified as one of the priorities for us to work on, so our team has been tackling the issues.
“In the past the three weeks alone, we have issued more than 100 penalties for contravention of the bus lane and 28 speeding penalties, as well as seizing two cars for no insurance and arresting a 30 year-old man for driving while disqualified.
“Drivers who are not paying attention to the lights controlling the cycle lane are posing a particular hazard for cyclists, and we are working with the council to make this area safer.”
Graham Lennard, of Birmingham City Council’s cycling and walking travelwise team, said staff had visited the site in the summer and engineers confirmed the signals were working correctly.
He said: “The police are giving regular attention to the junction.”
